1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to waste processing machines and, more particularly, to a shroud assembly for a waste processing machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known to provide waste processing machines to reduce waste material. The waste processing machine typically includes an infeed system for directing the waste material to a waste reducing system for reducing the waste material. An example of such a waste processing machine is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,863,003, issued Jan. 26, 1999, to Smith, entitled “WASTE PROCESSING MACHINE”, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. In that patent, the infeed system includes an infeed conveyor to feed waste material such as wood to a rotor assembly of the waste reducing system. The waste processing machine includes an engine having a turbocharger for rotating the rotor assembly for reducing the waste material by the rotor assembly. While this machine has worked well, certain waste material such as wood generally in the form of old pallets, building materials, and other scrap wood when processed (i.e., cut, split, or otherwise comminuted) has become a hazard. By their nature, these waste materials are very dry and comminuting them produces, as a by-product, a fine, very dry wood particulate that permeates the processing area of the waste processing machine. This wood particulate is very combustible, which may create a fire hazard, by settling on the engine and/or turbocharger of the engine for the waste processing machine. These engine and turbochargers produce a high heat exhaust that is routed through manifolds and exhaust piping that offers sources of combustion for the ambient wood particulate. To combat the excessive heat produced by the engine and turbocharger, and minimize the fire concerns, the waste processing machine is often placed outdoors.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a shroud assembly for a waste processing machine that prevents wood particulate from setting on the engine and turbocharger of the waste processing machine. It is further desirable to provide a shroud assembly for a waste processing machine that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and assembly and is not time consuming. Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide a shroud assembly for a waste processing machine that meets these desires.